Bracelet



E. ARMERUST @at 27, mgl.

BRACELET Jan. 16, 1931 Filed Paie-mee oci. 27, 1931 siren s'mr aerien FERDNAIID ABM'BBST, 0F NGRI-I PSGVEDECE, RHODE ISLi"A Il), ILSSGNQR TO ARIE- BRST RHODE LSLAND Application filed January 16, 1931.

My invention relates to flexible expansion bracelets of the 'foldable extension type.

ln bracelets ot this type originally the foldable leaves were enclosed in a container 5 which also housed a spring or elastic element which imparted an elastic or resilient character to the bracelet auxiliary to the entension afforded by the oldable leaves. A housing of such magnitude as required to contain both the leaves and the elastic element was both'clumsy and oi a character to effectively destroy the visual cont-inuity of the bracelet design. To overcome this it was attempted to interpose in a nearly visually continuous bracelet chain a pair of foldable leaves, backing the chain, and without any housing whatever. Bnt the omission of the housing involved also an abandonment of the elastic or resilient element.

in essential object of this invention is to retain allthe advantages due to the omission of the original housing, and restore to the bracelet the sacrificed resilient function.

A further object is to thoroughly camouflage the presence in the bracelet of the foldable extension, and thus still further impart an unbroken mnltiple-unit appearance to the bracelet.

Additional objects are a minimum thick- .30. ness of the central portion of the bracelet,

sightliness. and simplicity of operation and construction.

With the above and other objects in view my invention consists in such parts and in Ysuch combinations of parts as tall within the scope oi the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, Y Figure 1 a front elevation ot a watch bracelet embodying my invention with the parts in folded position,

Figure 2, a section of an intermediate portion ot my bracelet with the parts disposed in wearing position, taken on a line corresponding with 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3, a fragmentary front elevation of an intermediate portion of the same in unfolded position, and with the slidable link somewhat expanded,

Clilf COMPANY, G1? PROVEDENCE, ISL-JD, [i

'CORPORATON OF BRACELET Serial 11o. 509,067.

Figure 4, a longitudinal section of the same taken on line 4 4 ot Figure 3, and

Figures 5 and 6, detailed views of a unit link and a tubular link connecting member respectively.

Like reference characters parts throughout the views.

Mybracelet in its present and preferred embodiment includes link strap sections represented gene'rally by 1() and 11, each composed ot unit links 18 and, when a wrist watch is employed, terminates in the usual attaching` members 15 for connection with a Wrist watch.

Each unit link 13 is formed from flat stock and, in this instance, is of rectangular form with a similarly shaped central opening 17, so that each link constitutes a substantially rectangular frame, comprising broad vertical arm portions 18, and reduced cylindrical lateral arm portions 19. The links of each strap section are pivotally connected in series. lin this instance each connecting pivoting element consists of a somewhat flattened tubular member 2O loosely embracing the adjacent arms 19 of contiguous links.

lnterjected into the body of the chain between the sections 10 and 11 is an extensible connector 23 ot the bifold type comprising two longitudinally curved plates or leaves 2d and 25 respectively, provided with forwardly directed flanges 26 and 27 upon their upper and lower portions, and having their outer enc s connected by a hinge 29. The rear plate 25 is slightly broader and longer than the front plate 24. so that when they are in closed or overlapped position their flanges 26 and 27 are also in overlapping position. The plates 24- and 25 are provided near their outer ends with rectangular openings 32 and 33 respectively, and near their inner ends, with similarly shaped openings 34 and 35 respectively.

The forward ends of the plates 24- and 25 are respectively `forwardly bent to form sleeves 3G and 37, contiguous with each other. rllhelatter loosely cncloses one lateral arm 19 of the end unit link 38 ot 'th strap section. 10. The sleeve 36 loosely embraces the laderaL arm 19 of the unitlink 39 neXt adjacent the last indicate like Cri Sil

lia)

" and small area.

mentioned link, and constituting the end link ,Y

of the Astrap section 11. The extension plates are held face to face by means of a spring linger 41 integral with the plate 25 and embracing the sleeve 36. The latter has an integral lipV 43 cut from the material to form a linger or nail piece for separating the eXtension leaves and the unit links 38 and 39.

The unit link 39 serves as a connector link for a casing 45, open top and bottom, comprising a front wall 46 and a narrower rear wall'47, a wall 48 at one end, and a semicyli-ndrical Wall or integral sleeve 49 at itsY other end. The second lateral arm 19 of theY link 39 is loose in the tubularend wall 49 of the casing. An openrectangular slide 51 is mounted between the walls 46 and 47 of the casing. Its central recangular opening 53 forms a cross bar 55 at one end, and a pivot bar 56 at its other end, while the end wall 48 of the casing 45 extends transversely in the opening 53 and forms an abutment for one tion theslide 51 is substantially housedin itsv casing45, ,and by reference to Figures 1 and 2 itfwill be evident that Vthe casing 45 isl disposed symmetrically midway 'the length of the eXtensibleY connector 23 and resting against its front face between the guide flanges thereof.V lFurther, that the openmg kof the link 39, adjacent one end of the casing, registers with the openings 34 and 35 of the connector 23; vwhilethe opening of the'link 6() adgacent the'other end of the casing, registers with the openings 32 and 33 of the conl nector 23.v v Y Y rlhe described 'opening registrations serve to obscure the presence of the backing eX- tensible Vconnector 23 and thus adds to the visual continuity of the vunit links of the strap, or of the strap sections. f YIt will befurther observed Vthat not only is the casing 45 disposed centrally rand syminetrically relatively to the eXtensible member 23 and relatively to the unit links of the entire bracelet, but that it is not attached to nor a constituent partl ofY the extensible section, and is noticeably of minimum thickness 1. In a bracelet of the type` setV forth. an eX- tensible connector comprising leaves hingedly. connected at theirV adjacent ends, and sleeves upon their remote ends, means for detachably engaging the sleeves, a series ofA pivotally connected unitlinkshaving an end link loosely attached to one sleeve, a unit link pivotally engaging they second sleeve, va casingV carried by the Ylast mentioned unit link and adapted to abut against the extensible connector, a slide yieldingly mounted in the casing, and a series of Vunit links pivotally 'attached to the slide.

2. Inra bracelet of the type set forth, an Qm Y eXtensible connector comprising a pair of leaves pivotally connected at their adjacent ends, and each provided with a pair of interspaced visual openings disposed atpeach side of its center, the corresponding :openings in one leaf registering withY thev openings in the other leaf, and sleeves upon their remote ends, means for normally maintaining the leaves in interengagment, a series of open unit links, and tubular connectors engaging adjacentrlinks, an end link of the series bein@ loosely engaged by one-of the sleeves, a connecting open unit link adjacent the last'mentioned link when the leaves are in closed position pivotally engaged by the second sleeveand having its open portion in registration with one .pair of the eXtensible connector openings, a casing adapted to abut against the central portion of the connector, an open slide inthe casing, a compressible spring inthe slide pressing against the casing, a tubular connector,l engaging the slide, an open unit link engaged 1n the 'last mentioned tubular connector having its open portion in registration lwith the second pair of openings inthe extensible connector, and a series of open unit linksjpivotally connected with the last mentioned link. c

In testimony whereof I *havel aflixed my signature. f I Y FERDINAND ARMBRUST. 

